This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
It's time for another Sunday of MLB action! The DFS slate will be settled before the Thunder and Pacers tip off, so fret not if you're also a hoops fan. There are 10 games on the docket with the first pitch at 1:05 p.m. EDT. Let's get to my MLB DFS recommendations!
Pitching
Cristopher Sanchez, PHI at PIT ($10,100): This is cut-and-dry the best combination of pitcher and matchup. Sanchez isn't as dominant as his Pirates counterpart Paul Skenes, but the lefty's no slouch with a 3.15 ERA and 10.14 K/9 rate through 12 starts. And while Skenes is facing a team top-eight in runs scored, Sanchez is going up against one ranked 29th.
Joe Ryan, MIN vs. TOR ($9,900): The Blue Jays have soared from the bottom-10 in offense to being on the edge of being in the top half, which speaks to a recent surge. That being said, they aren't so good where I wouldn't roster Ryan. He has a 2.91 ERA after all and is elite when it comes to K/BB rate as he's on pace to finish with one over 6.00 for the second straight season.
Trevor Williams, WAS vs. TEX ($6,900): Williams hasn't been reat this year, but the matchup may be worth taking a chance on to try and save salary. At least he hasn't allowed many homers (1.06 per nine innings) while holding righties under a .200 average. Lefties may have obliterated Williams, though the Rangers aren't lefty-heavy and Corey Seager is struggling. Texas also sits 28th in runs scored with a sub-.300 OBP.
Find out which projected starters are going and when with RotoWire's Probable Pitchers page!
Top Targets
A slugger visiting Coors Field? That sounds good to me, and that's what Pete Alonso ($4,700) is. He's slugged .519 throughout his career with 15 homers through 64 games. The rookie Chase Dollander hasn't changed anything about the perception of the Colorado rotation with a 6.26 ERA while giving up more homers (10) than starts (nine).
Ketel Marte ($3,800) exploded for a .932 OPS with 36 homers last year. That wasn't even the best season of his career, just a return to a form he had lost. Marte has held onto that as he's slashing .299/.416/.612 with 12 home runs across 39 matchups. Brady Singer's first year with the Reds hasn't been ideal with a 4.66 ERA.
Bargain Bats
If you don't keep tabs on Willi Castro ($3,200), he's produced an 1.006 OPS the last three weeks. The switch-hitter also has six homers and three stolen bases after 12 and 14 in 2024. Bowden Francis' move to a full-time starter hasn't panned out for Toronto as he's notched a 6.47 FIP while surrendering 2.68 home runs per nine innings.
Much to my surprise, Maikel Garcia ($3,100) has refused to slow down with an .892 OPS over three weeks. He's also recorded seven home runs and 13 steals after accumulating 37 of the latter last season. It seems the White Sox are primed to go for a bullpen game, perhaps led by Triple-A call-up Owen White. And that shouldn't be concerning.
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Stacks to Consider
Reds vs. Diamondbacks (Zac Gallen): Elly De La Cruz ($3,800), TJ Friedl ($3,200), Gavin Lux ($2,700)
It's been a steady decline for Gallen the last few campaigns. He's currently down to a 2.12 K/BB rate, up to a 1.34 HR/9 rate, and his ERA has ticked all the way up to 5.13. Over three seasons, he's struggled to a 4.14 on the road while the Reds' ballpark has a friendly hitting reputation. Since Gallen is a righty and as the Reds don't really have any good right-handed batters, I've selected three players who can hit from the left side.
With 12 homers and 19 stolen bases, De La Cruz may be in line for his first 30/30. The switch-hitter also lists an .872 home OPS with a .913 versus right-handers. Through the last three weeks, Friedl has posted a .970 OPS. On the year, he's notched an .877 against righties and two years ago managed a .962 against his fellow lefties. All Lux is really doing is getting himself on base with a .374 OBP, yet he carries a .401 against righties alongside a .444 slugging percentage.
Cardinals vs. Dodgers (Clayton Kershaw): Willson Contreras ($2,900), Masyn Winn ($2,900), Nolan Arenado ($2,800)
From the "Time comes for us all" department, we have the plight of Clayton Kershaw. He's made four starts this year and has produced a 5.13 ERA after a 4.50 across seven last season. The 37-year-old lefty has also let right-handed hitters go over .300 against during that stretch. Kershaw will be in the Hall of Fame some day, but right now he's someone you can target with right-handed bats.
It's been something of a down season for Contreras as he's exchanged "hard" hits for "medium" ones, though he's still racked up seven homers and 13 doubles with a .797 OPS versus lefties. And since 2023, that last number increases against lefties to .897. The shortstop Winn has hit .277 with six home runs and three steals after 15 and 11 - on top of five triples - during 2024. He's also currently better against righties, but he slugged .500 versus southpaws last year. Arenado is definitely not the hitter he used to be, yet he's at least managed to continue to hit reasonably well at home with a .798 OPS in St. Louis the last couple campaigns with an .840 OPS against left-handed pitchers this year.
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